Our Second Sweet Blessing

Well hello everyone!  I have been away far too long from this blog, but I have been busy having this precious little girl you see above.  :)  Sarah Noelle Kallam was born at 1:50 a.m. on January 14th, weighing 8 lbs, 3 oz, and measuring 19" long.

Overall, I can easily say that my labor and delivery this time around was much less traumatizing.  I prayed very specifically about things that I wanted to go differently this time, and God was merciful in answering those prayers the way I'd hoped for.  While Sarah did arrive 4 days past her due date (only half as bad as her 8-day overdue big sister), at least she came on her own and my fears pertaining to getting induced again were put to rest.  I had a wonderful team of professionals taking care of me, and was blessed again to have my husband on one side of me and my mom on the other.  :)  When this beautiful little girl was placed on my chest, I felt an overwhelming joy as I did with Emily.

*Fun Facts*
-I got to help pull Sarah out myself!  It was an awesome experience!
-Sarah was almost born still in the amniotic sac.  My water never broke, and my midwife was ok with the baby coming out still in the sac (she said it was a sign of life-long good luck).  As Sarah's head got closer, the sac did rupture, but NOT before it first looked like a balloon was being blown up out of me!  lol.
-Sarah was born with 1 tooth already beginning to emerge and the tooth beside it not far behind.  It took Emily 7 months or so to get 1 tooth, and Sarah is born with one?!  Are you kidding me??  So not only are we dealing with a newborn, but we are dealing with a teething newborn.  Lord help us...

Look at that peaceful, sleeping angel.  It almost makes me laugh, considering how opposite of that she was last night, and most nights before.  Jordan and I are back into the reality of what life is like when you have a newborn.  Hopefully we can get back into a good routine sometime soon, but that's probably just wishful thinking.  Emily has adjusted just fine and loves her baby sister!  She enjoys giving her kisses all the time, and always points and says "Sis!" when she sees her.  I can't wait to see the beautiful friendship and sisterly bond that my two girls will form over the years.

I love you Sarah, and you are definitely the best "surprise" Daddy and I have ever been given.  :)  God must have a special plan for your life, little one!  Welcome to the family!

Emily is One!

Baby girl, I cannot believe you are 1 year old!!  Well, you have been 1 now for 17 days.  This blog is kind of late, but I wanted to make sure all your adorable photos could be in it.  It seems like you were just a tiny infant not too long ago, curled up on my chest and so new to the world.
Look at you, just about an hour after you were born:

Now you have grown into a sweet, smart, entertaining, loving, diva extraordinaire who is learning new things all the time.  I will admit that I got teary-eyed the day before your birthday, thinking about how fast the year has gone and hoping that future years don't go by so quickly.  I just want you to stay my and Daddy's little baby forever!  However, I thank God all the time for giving us a healthy, perfect daughter that we DO get to see having her first birthday...we really have to count our blessings when there are others who are not so fortunate.      

This month you:

Had your first ice cream truck experience!  You shared my chocolate malt cup and Daddy's frozen lemonade (you liked mine better, heehee)
Were lovingly dedicated to the Lord
Saw your first parade!  It was for fire-safety week, and it came right by our house!
New words/phrases you said: thank you, bless you, let's go, grandpa (and you're calling everything 'baby')
Stood alone without holding on to anything...but you are still so scared to try walking!
Love sharing food and toys with others...especially Katie, *sigh*
Have a couple more teeth
Love watching Doc McStuffins and The Lorax (that movie seriously puts you into a trance)
Took off your pants and diaper TWO times in the morning before I came in to get you!  Lil stinker!
Say "mmmmmm" after eating bites of foods you like
Make barking sounds whenever you see pictures of a dog
You're able to unlock our cell phones, and even made a phone call by yourself...April said you told her "hey" and everything, lol
You also pretend like several of your other toys are phones, holding them to your ear/neck and saying "hello"
Love playing with all your new toys, and riding in your new car from Mommy & Daddy
Had fun at your first b-day party...it was Strawberry Shortcake themed, because you still love that TV show!  You played, ate the icing timidly off your cupcake, saw your friends, and opened some really cool presents!  You are one lucky girl!   :)

I'm sure there is probably some things I accidentally left out...there is just so much to remember with you, Emmy!  Never, EVER forget how much Daddy and I love you, and how much all of the rest of your family loves you.  You are the most special blessing in our lives and I am so happy that God chose me to be your Mommy.  I love you more than words can express!  Happy Birthday, sweet angel!   ~Mommy

Emily - 11 Months

Please, time, stop going by so fast...I am so sad that this will be the last month of my life where I won't have to say I have a something year old.   :'(    I am enjoying each new month with you, Emily, and love how much you are learning.  All of your "cute new things" are, well, just so darn cute!!

This month you:

Started dancing to music!  Your signature "shoulder shimmy" is way too cute
Are saying "uh-oh" a lot   :)
Copy some animal sounds (the lion is your favorite)
Are eating a lot more "regular" food off of our plates  (you LOVE banana pudding!)
Your second top tooth is coming in...and not looking great, I might add.  It looks like it's already cracked! Good thing we know a dentist at church...I will ask him to have a look at it on Sunday.  ;)
Copy me when I say "no-no" and point my finger...this is a naughty thing for you to do, but yet again, so funny and cute
You found out that you will have a baby SISTER!!  I hope you two will be life-long best friends.  <3
Suddenly hate wearing bibs...you will yank on it until you scream because you're hurting your neck trying to pull it off...sigh.
You enjoy playing at the playground and trying to climb up the slide.  Your favorite is still the swing, though!

I love you, sweet Emmy Grace!  Here's to your last month before being a "something year old"!  
Love, Mommy

Emily - 10 Months

My sweet baby, you are 10 months old!  Where is the time going?!  I will say that you are becoming more of a mommy's girl every day...it's probably because you hardly ever leave my side!  I will definitely cherish each moment that you reach out for me, or lay your little head on my chest, or give me a super-tight hug (your specialty!) because I know you won't be this little forever.

This month:

Your top tooth finally broke through!
You started shaking your head "no"
You love it when I pat my hand in front of your mouth while you say "ahhh" (making "Indian noises")...sometimes you even try to do it to yourself and it is so.cute.
You started self-feeding with finger foods
You love watching cartoons, like Strawberry Shortcake, Super Why, and Dinosaur Train
You absolutely love watching videos of yourself...you smile so big and make happy noises   : )
You really don't like getting in the car seat anymore
You have started bouncing up and down to music
You will now pick up a comb and try to comb your own hair! (Instead of what you previously did: wave it around or stick it in your mouth, haha)
You celebrated Mommy's birthday!  (You got me an awesome present (with the help of Daddy) - a cotton candy maker!  Boy will we have fun with that!)
You are trying to say more words:  There is a picture of Grandma & Grandpa we look at and practice labeling every day, and you said "Amma...Pa..."  the other day by yourself!  Woo hoo!  You also repeated the word "apple" in one of your books.  My smart girl!

I love you Emily!!  I am so lucky to be able to stay home with you every day, teaching you, loving on you, and watching you grow into this sweet, smart little girl.   : )
~Mommy

Emily - 9 Months!

Emily, I cannot believe you are 9 months old today!  You are changing before our eyes and there's nothing we can do to keep you our tiny little baby girl anymore.  But you continue to amaze me all the time with new things you've learned, or how sweet you can be.

This month:

You started pulling up on everything and cruising furniture
I painted your little toenails hot pink...well only half of them...you were trying to grab the polish and brush so I had to stop.   : (
Grandma & Grandpa came to visit you for a week and we all had so much fun!
You had your first 4th of July and saw your first fireworks at the base lake...they amazed you!
You got in the pool for the first time (you liked it only if you were sitting in Daddy's lap - it was too cold)   : )
You had your first carousel ride in the mall
You learned your 3rd word:  "Atie" (for Katie).  Grandma & Grandpa even heard you say "Katie" twice!
You're able to crawl all the way up the stairs
Your second bottom tooth came in, and one of your top teeth is starting to peek through
You tried a bunch of new foods: ice cream, hummus, turkey, pink lemonade, and more...you loved them all! (But your FAVORITE new thing was licking a Fudgesicle!)
You love climbing up the back of the couch to see out of the side window like Katie; you make yourself so proud!
You learned how to make kissy sounds/faces to us
Your fine motor skills are improving from playing with a small-peg puzzle...you love the sounds!
You are obeying much more often when we say "No-no!"  (Mischief is still your middle name).
It is your goal to sneak in the laundry room and splash your hands in Katie's food/water bowls as many times as possible.  I usually catch you on the way in there, but a couple times I've been too late!
You are standing up in your crib & holding on to the bars when I come to get you up in the morning, and you ALWAYS give me the biggest hug!


I am so blessed to be able to watch your beautiful life unfold!
I love you, my sunshine!
~Mommy

Papaw's Birthday

My Papaw has not been with us for over 2 months now, and I miss him so much.  Today is his birthday, and he would've been 71 years old - definitely too young to be gone.  : (   Sadly, I never got around to writing a special birthday blog for him when he was around to see it, but I would still like to write one in his memory.

The picture above shows the one and only trip that Papaw got to spend time with my daughter.  He loved to hold her when she wasn't crying, haha.

If you had the pleasure of knowing my Papaw, then you know there were many different "sides" to him.  Rough and tough to those who he thought deserved it, and cuddly as a big teddy bear to his family, whom he loved dearly.

So here's to a Papaw who:

Threatened to kill and/or shoot every past boyfriend I had in the foot (including my husband, haha)
Always made me sit on his lap, no matter how old I got (and he always had to let me know that my baby butt used to fit in his hand, but not anymore)
Bought my Granny and my mom a dress for every occasion, even if they wanted pants, lol
Took me dress shopping at a young age and bought me 2 dresses, because I told him "Papaw, I love this dress you just bought me, but I REALLY love this dress over here!"   ; )
Chased me down the beach when I was a toddler
Never let me forget that I accidentally lost one of the diamond earrings he bought me when I was 2.
Always let someone know "What you NEED to do is..."
Took me and all of my cousins to Disney World
Grew the best tasting tomatoes ever
Referred to the Young and the Restless as the "Young and the Useless", but still watched it
Came outside to direct our parking up until he had trouble standing/walking
Made some delicious food!!!  Scallops, lamb chops, mmmmmm
Loved sitting in his disco light jacuzzi
Took us on countless trips to the beach in the RV...we had so much fun!
Listened to jazz music in the car on Sundays
Would always claim that "the midget did it" (My family will understand this one...)
Always told me I needed to buy darker lipstick because I looked half dead, lol
Would always answer the phone by saying "FBI" or "Sheriff's Office"
Enjoyed watching Dog the Bounty Hunter, Swamp People, Storage Wars, and any other redneck TV
Also enjoyed watching sports, NASCAR, and criminal investigation shows
Bought my brother and I all the pets we ever had growing up - first 2 hamsters, Jimmy and Trouble, who were not with us very long, haha, and then our dog SweetPea, who was an irreplacably special part of our lives for 13 years.
Would say "Listen to this..."  if you told him something he thought was funny, stupid, or unbelievable
Taught me to target shoot with his BB gun
Always ask me if I wanted to take his diabetes shots for him
Loved driving his Lincoln
Would strongly advise you on what to order at a restaurant
Told the best and funniest stories about his experiences when he owned his own motel at Myrtle Beach
Was a retired veteran in the US Army
Could talk to a stranger for hours
Would give you the shirt off his back

I could go on and on with all of these.  I truly have so many memories of my Papaw.  He and my Granny were always such an active part of my life and were always there for us if we needed anything.  He provided us with lots of love, fun, and advice.

I love you and miss you Papaw!  We all wish you were here for us to have a birthday party for you, but we at least have the comfort of knowing we will see you again one day.

Love, Holly

Emily - 8 Months

Emily, you are 8 months now and summer is here!  From now on, Mommy is going to stay home and be with you all day, every day.  That may be a difficult task at times, but I know that I won't have to miss spending time with you and I'll get to watch you learn & grow every day.  I am so excited!!

You sure had some pretty significant "firsts" this month!  Way to go baby!
This month:

You started CRAWLING!  uh oh...
You are trying to pull up on things
You even stood up a couple times on your own when we were barely bracing you!
Your first tooth FINALLY popped through!  It's on the bottom and still barely out there, but trust me...I found out the hard way it was there when you bit my chin, haha.
You got to spend a month with Nanny while she was here to watch you during the day
You had your first experience with bubbles!
You are getting into everything you aren't supposed to have...pulling DVDs off the shelf, picking up sneakers to chew on, yanking decorative strings off of our Pier 1 pillow grrr!, trying to stick your fingers into electric outlets (we had to baby-proof those), door stoppers, and more.
You unlocked the door to Katie's kennel and let her out after we had put her in there.  This was a very funny moment, as I think you pretty much conveyed to Katie that you two would be partners in crime.  : )
You want to play with anything that is NOT your toy, lol (cell phones, nail files, bottles, remotes, etc)
You accidentally turned the volume all the way up on the TV by holding down the button and completely freaked out.  It. was. hilarious.  You started throwing your body around and gasping over and over, haha.
You learned to clap, and it is so adorable!
You love me to sing the same songs to you with the motions that Grandma and Grandpa sang to me when I was a baby - Ride a Little Horsie, Patty Cake, Round and Round the Garden, There Was a Little Mousie
You finally started to sleep through the night again...cue the church choir "HALLELUJAH!"
You like to live dangerously by leaning over the edges of things as if you don't realize or care that you will fall...in fact, you would if I weren't holding you! This applies to all couches, chairs, and beds.
You like to stick your fingers up our nostrils....sigh....
You are still saying "mama" and "dada" very well, and unfortunately, yes, the "diva scream" is still around
You love rocking on your Tigger rocker!

I love you SO MUCH, Emily Grace!  I am so blessed to have the sweetest girl in the world!
~ Your Mommy